Hub will support community safety and addiction recovery in the community
The Ontario government is helping create safer communities and supporting people struggling with addiction and mental health issues in Oshawa by building a new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub. This new hub is the second HART Hub that will open in Durham Region and is part of the province’s plan to support safer communities by investing almost $550 million to create a total of 28 HART Hubs across the province while also banning drug injection sites from operating near schools and licensed child-care centres.
Durham Region’s HART Hubs, similar to existing hub models in Ontario that have successfully provided people with care, will reflect regional priorities by connecting people with complex needs to comprehensive treatment and preventative services. Planning of the new HART Hub in Oshawa is underway and, once open, its services could include:
- Primary care
- Mental health and addiction services, including addictions treatment
- Mental health and addictions supportive housing
- Social services and employment supports
“Our government is helping more people get the treatment and support they need, when and where they need it, by taking the next step to improve access to mental health and addictions services,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Our investment to create a total of 28 new HART Hubs will keep communities safe and ensure timely and comprehensive access to mental health support, addiction care, primary care, supportive housing and employment services.”
Earlier this year, the province announced that nine drug injection sites that are required to close due to being located near a school or licensed child-care centre have been approved to transition into HART Hubs. This brings the total number of HART Hubs across the province to 28, nine more than initially planned.
“The second HART Hub in Durham reflects our government’s commitment to expanding integrated mental health and addictions services in Durham Region, ensuring residents can access support closer to home,” said Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “This announcement is part of our ongoing commitment to keep communities safe, while delivering compassionate, recovery-focused care for all in need.”
“I am committed to ensuring that individuals in need receive the compassionate, recovery-focused care they deserve,” said Dan Carter, Mayor of the City of Oshawa. “The HART Hub in Oshawa will provide comprehensive wraparound services and support for those struggling with addiction, creating pathways for their long-term recovery.”
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care and building on the Roadmap to Wellness, the province is taking action to connect individuals to integrated mental health and addictions services, where and when they need it.
Quick Facts
- The creation of HART Hubs is being done in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
- With a focus on treatment and recovery, HART Hubs will not offer so-called safer supply, supervised drug consumption or needle exchange programs.
- The Community Care and Recovery Act, 2024 prohibits municipalities and local boards from applying to Health Canada for an exemption for the decriminalization of drugs. The Act also prohibits municipalities and local boards from applying to Health Canada for funding or entering into an agreement with Health Canada in respect to safer supply services or applying for an exemption or renewal of an exemption to operate a supervised consumption site, without prior provincial approval.
- Through the Roadmap to Wellness, Ontario is investing $3.8 billion over 10 years to fill gaps in the mental health and addictions care continuum, create new services and expand programs, including:
- $124 million over the next three years as part of Budget 2024 to sustain funding for more than 380 addiction recovery beds and models of treatment like mobile mental health clinics.
- $152 million over the next three years for supportive housing to assist individuals facing unstable housing conditions and experiencing mental health and addictions challenges.
- More than $22 million over four years to create 10 new Youth Wellness Hubs that the government is adding to the network of 22 hubs already opened since 2020, bringing the total number of Youth Wellness Hubs to 32 across the province.
- More than $650 million in annual funding for the Homelessness Prevention Program and $41.8 million for the Indigenous Supportive House Program, which the government increased by $202 million annually in the 2023 provincial budget.
- Up to $16 million to support Police-Partnered Mobile Crisis Response Teams in over 50 communities across the province so that health care professionals can attend crisis situations.
- Over $60 million in annual funding to support Indigenous-led mental health, addictions and well-being supports that will help individuals, families and communities heal from the impacts of intergenerational trauma and colonization through culturally safe and responsive programs and services that are designed and delivered by and for Indigenous people.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
